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In Memory of Summer Break 2012

August 18th, 2012

Summer Break 2012, May – August 2012, Memorial services to be held by teachers and students daily, for the next nine months all around East Texas. Summer came and left us (as she usually does), abruptly this year. Knowing her has been a rich and rewarding experience. She played hard to get through June, allowing us the rain and cool moisture we had missed the preceding year. As such, we mostly stayed indoors reading (and enjoying our lower energy bills), as well as attending events like Vacation Bible School. In July we she began coming around a bit more but remained somewhat standoff-ish, so we busied ourselves with visiting the Tyler Zoo, or other area outdoor venues, like Lindsey Field or Rose Rudman. Still, we knew she couldn’t stay away indefinitely.

By August, as if sensing that her time was short, her visits became longer, and more intense. We felt her warmth in the stands at the Ball Park, and at the pool. We even tried to put a little distance between us by ducking into local museums, and movie theaters. At the end of the day, we watched the Summer Olympic Games on TV and enjoyed our time with her, all the while, wishing the bliss wouldn’t end so suddenly. But of course it did. The time has come for us all to return to the classroom, some as teachers, some as students, but all with vivid recollections of Summer 2012. Goodbye Vacation. I look forward to meeting your predecessor in 2013.

The Summer Break is survived by the coming of Autumn, the fall football season, post- season Baseball, including the Ranger, (make the sign of the cross here), and the coming of cooler weather. The end of the Spring, Winter and the 2011 School year preceded her in passing.  

Football, Football Everywhere

September 30th, 2010

Dallas CowboysNow that fall is in full swing, (thank God it’s finally cooling off), so is the public’s demand for more football. It is now possible to watch a live action football game nearly every night of the week. How? Well, the newly formed United Football league (UFL) is now being televised on the new sports network called Versus. The league is made up of five teams who will evidently play each other several times a season ending in November. As far as I can figure, the original plan was for the new league to be a sort of minor league from which the NFL can draw talent. The only problem is the UFL is currently composed of NFL has beens and almost weres like Dante Culpepper, Jeff Garcia, Denny Green and others. If this league wants to find a niche as a funnel for football talent they’re going to have to pick younger players and develop them into NFL ready candidates. Versus televises the UFL games on Thursday nights.

In the meantime the NFL Network is now carrying the occasional Canadian Football League (CFL) game, starting this season. The contract issues have finally been ironed out so that the CFL can make at least a once a week appearance starting back in July, and ending with the season closer in early November. Friday night’s game will feature Montreal vs. Calgary. Of course Saturday belongs to NCAA football and Sunday and Monday to the NFL. All this makes for two nights off (Tuesday and Wednesday) for the Football addict. It should be mentioned, all this stepping up of alternatives makes me wonder if the networks are hedging their bets against the possibility of a player’s walk out of the NFL next season.

I should also remind area readers that with the Texas Rangers heading into the playoffs having had arguably one of their greatest seasons ever, this is not the year or the month to tune out post- season baseball! So these are my two closing words of caution: Remember the boys of summer this fall, and be careful not to over- dose on football. There are too many good seasons yet to come, to waste one’s passion on cheap thrills.